Locals in Ware, Hertfordshire, are worried that the growing number of birds is driving away shoppers and tourists from the town.

But Tory councillor Jake Shropshire told a town meeting that the pesky pigeons could be kept to a low number by adding a special contraceptive to bird feed.

He said: "I'm not suggesting we all stand out with our guns but I'm not against killing a few of them to bring numbers down."

After the meeting he said: "There are too many pigeons in Ware, everyone complains about it but nobody will stand up and say we need to remove them.

"There's a company that does birth control for birds. It's something I think we could consider as a council but everyone just laughed.

Others on the planning committee weren't so impressed with Mr Shropshire's idea and instead said that warning people off feeding the birds would be a better course of action.

“He might have thought it was serious but I think it's ridiculous”

Rosalie Standley, Mayor of Ware

Mayor of Ware Rosalie Standley said: "It was a bit of a laugh really, he might have thought it was serious but I think it's ridiculous, I don't think we would ever consider doing it."

Animal rights group PETA also shunned the idea and said: "There's a much simpler and more effective solution to keeping pigeons away from certain areas than feeding them contraceptive pills, which can cause deadly side effects, and that's simply to get out a broom and keep the area clean.

"Pigeons are fascinating and heroic birds, who have earned more Dickin Medals - the animals' Victoria Cross - than any other animal, for saving the lives of civilians and members of the Armed Forces during two world wars.

"The idea of drugging them or blowing them out of the sky is ridiculous.

"All we need to do is pick up after ourselves and not leave food around to attract them."

Although Mr Shropshire's proposal may sound a little wacky, in 2010 politicians in the French town of Brignoles actually decided to feed local birds grain laced with contraceptives.